Goodwin in top 20 after first day of West Super Regional

Photo: Kate Goodwin led the field in birdies in the first round of the West Super Regional.

DURANGO, Colo. (May 7, 2018) – Oklahoma Christian’s Kate Goodwin righted the ship with two birdies over her final three holes to put herself in the top 20 on Monday on the first day of the NCAA Division II West Super Regional at Hillcrest Golf Club.

Goodwin, a junior from Tulsa, was one of only three players in the 66-woman field to record four birdies in the opening round on the 6,348-yard course, and they helped her salvage a 6-over-par 78 that put her in a tie for 19th.

The top three teams in the three-round Super Regional, and the top three players not on one of those teams, will advance to the NCAA Division II Championship in Houston later this month. The cutoff for one of the three individual spots after the first round was 3-over.

Goodwin started her round on No. 10 and was 1-over after her first birdie, on the par-5 No. 17. She got back to even par with a birdie at the par-4 No. 1, but a triple bogey on the par-5 No. 3 started a stretch of four straight holes in which she shot bogey or worse. She was 7-over with three holes left to play, but picked up consecutive birdies on a pair of par-4 holes before finishing with a bogey at No. 9.

Three players were tied for the lead at even par – Jelina Fernando of West Texas A&M and two players from Dallas Baptist (Texas), Addison Mitchell and Brinn Fariss. Dallas Baptist led the team race with a 293 score, 12 shots better than California Baptist and 14 better than third-place West Texas A&M.

The tournament will continue Monday and Tuesday. Goodwin is playing in a Super Regional event for the third straight year overall and the second straight year as an individual invitee.